


It's a Paradise, and It's a War Zone

by LaheyHale



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cuddling & Snuggling, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Thunderstorms, john loves Alex V v much, this is a mess and i am sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-24
Updated: 2016-07-24
Packaged: 2018-07-26 12:38:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7574353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LaheyHale/pseuds/LaheyHale
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alex is scared of thunderstorms. John rushes home to comfort him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It's a Paradise, and It's a War Zone

The rain pattered down against the windows of John's office. The dark clouds had rolled in around noon as he was returning from his lunch break. He worked for a highly esteemed hospital on the floor that dealt specifically in sports medicine and physical therapy. Being the head of his department, John worked closely with the other department heads to help the hospital run as smoothly as possible and provide the best patient care. He had gone to medical school in New York, spending nearly 10 years earning his PhD in physical therapy and kinesiology. Sighing heavily, he sunk into his swivel chair, hanging his lab coat on the high leather back. Turning on his computer, he took his phone out of his pocket to check for any missed messages or calls. He smiled when he saw his lock screen, a photo of him and Alexander in Central Park, the latter sitting on top of a bike rack while John stood and kissed his cheek from behind. 

He remembered that day clearly, the crisp December air still around them as the snow fell silently and lightly from above. Alex, who hadn't had much experience with the extreme cold weather was bundled up in one of John's hoodies as well as a large overcoat and a beanie. He and Alex had been newly married when the photo was taken, taking advantage of a shared day off. They spent the whole day in the park, they'd had coffee and donuts for breakfast followed by the best hot dogs Central Park could offer for lunch. He clicked the screen off after seeing there were no notifications and logged on to his computer. He heard thunder sound as he scrolled lazily through his emails and remaining appointments for the day. Seeing that he only had two more appointments, he smiled to himself as he realized he'd be able to go home early. 

Lightning lit up the sky behind him, effectively creating shadows in his dimly lit office. He turned his head to look out the window, silently counting to himself the seconds before a loud crack of thunder shook the building slightly. He determined that the lightning was about 25 miles away, counting the seconds being a habit that he'd had since his childhood. John loved storms. He loved how the sky became engulfed by dark clouds, dark blue hues swirled around light grays. He loved the sound and smell of rain, the fresh crisp scent mingling with the dirt of the ground. Growing up in the South, John experienced heavy thunderstorms every afternoon over the summers. He would grab a book and lock himself up in his room, sitting on the cushioned window sill. There, he'd let the rain lull him to sleep, or he'd watch the rain hit the window until it let up. Lightning had always fascinated him as well, the way the electricity lit up the sky in different patterns. He'd always loved the sound of thunder, too. It was comforting to him in a way. As a child, he knew that the rain was his escape. As soon as it thundered, he'd leave to go to his room, and remained there until it ended. Sometimes, he'd play games with his younger siblings. He relished in storms, for when it stormed, he knew his dad took advantage of the soothing sounds and took a nap. When his father was sleeping, he was unable to yell at John, he wasn't able to hurt him. When it stormed, he was able to be a child, letting the rain pull him into a comforting embrace as he knew he wouldn't be interrupted or yelled at while the skies emptied. He found a safe haven in the rolling clouds, the shaking thunder, and the natural light show. 

Alexander, on the other hand, couldn't be any more different. Due to a storm that destroyed his childhood home, Alex was afraid of storms and thunder. He hated the rain, and beyond that, he hated thunder. When John had first met him and their relationship was in its beginning stages, Alex had freaked out during a huge thunderstorm and explained why to John. He had told him that each time lightning flashed, in his mind he saw his house being demolished by an uprooted tree and unstable soil. Each time he smelled rain he remembered the heartache and helplessness he felt as he watched his life get destroyed and was unable to do anything about it. Each time thunder rumbled, he heard the sound of his breaking heart as he remembered that his mother was gone, that the storm had been the beginning of the end for her. He had hated the rain, he had hated storms, and he had _hated_ thunder. 

John had been helping him with this, however. John was able to comfort him during the really bad storms, the kind that John had always loved the most. Alex knew how John felt about rain, and sometimes when it stormed really badly, Alex would ask John to tell him again what he liked about the rain. When John finished his story, he'd hum softly until Alex calmed down enough to fall asleep. By their third year of marriage, Alex had become accustomed to the small rainstorms they received in New York. He'd usually just grumble about how he doesn't like the weather and immerse himself on work. Sometimes, though, it was like no progress had ever been made where storms were concerned with Alex. 

So, it came as no surprise to John that when he looked at his phone the next time, he saw a missed call and three texts from his Alexander. The first was asking John if he was busy. The second was Alex's poor attempt at stringing together a coherent thought about the storm. The third was three simple words. _Please come home_. 

John knew then that this was serious, Alex never asked him to leave work to come home unless it was an emergency. In the five years they'd been married, this had happened exactly three times. The first, when Alex had sprained his ankle jogging down the steps at work. The second, when he had fallen in their shower and got a concussion. And finally, the third was when Alex had found an injured husky puppy and wanted to get him to the vet as soon as possible. They had adopted the puppy, and three years later Balto remained their faithful and loyal companion. Alex had insisted on the name, loving the story behind the dog who saved hundreds of people. 

Knowing the urgency of the situation, John gave his last two appointments to other doctors on the floor and grabbed his keys to head home. On his way to the elevator, he dialed Alex's cell phone. The phone rang a couple times before John heard a small voice on the other end of the line. 

"...Hello? John?" Alex's voice was shaky, he sounded small and afraid. 

"Yeah baby girl, it's me. What's wrong? I'm on my way home now." John hit the down button on the elevator. He heard another crack of thunder from both inside the building and over the telephone. He then heard Alex whimper, and he knew exactly what was going on. "Okay Alex, baby, listen to me. I'm almost to my car. I'll be home soon, okay?"

"Okay," Alex mumbles, "p-please be safe. I, uh, I can't lose you too, okay..." 

"I'll be okay, my love," John starts, "stay where you are, I'm coming. Do you want to stay on the line with me?"

"Please?" It's quiet, almost inaudible over the sound of the rain pouring down on the parking garage roof. John reaches his car, unlocks it and gets in.

Starting the engine, John begins to tell Alex about his day. Alex doesn't say anything in return, only whimpers every time there's an exceptionally large bout of thunder. John tells different stories about his day as he drives through the city, navigating the crowded streets and tuning out the multitude of honking horns. "Oh! You wouldn't believe the guy that came in earlier today. He was probably 7 feet tall. Came in with a torn ACL. One of the worst I'd ever seen, honestly. It was _ridiculous_ , baby, the poor guy couldn't even walk. I felt so bad, but he had such a good attitude about it all. Said he was enjoying the down time, said he'd watched the entirety of Game of Thrones and a few other shows." This got a weak chuckle from Alex, which made John feel minutely better. "Baby girl, I'm almost home. I'm stopped at the light in front of our complex."

Just as he gets that statement out of his mouth, another loud rumble of thunder sounds. He hears another whimper and then a mumbled "hurry, I need you," and John can tell that this is the worst he's been with a storm in years. His heart aches as he pulls into the parking garage under their shared apartment. "Okay, honey, I'm almost to you. I'm almost there, hold on," he mutters, as he parks the car and gets out. He doesn't bother grabbing his used coffee mug from that morning or his change of gym clothes from the back. 

He gets on the elevator which takes him to the lobby, waving at the receptionist as he frantically rushes towards the elevator which leads to their large apartment. Once on their floor, John hurries to the door, fumbling with his keys. The whole time he mutters "baby I'm coming," on the phone to Alex, who seems to be calming down the closer John gets. As soon as he's able to swing the door open wide, he notices that all of the blinds are shut and he can see that most of the lights are off. 

He then sees Alex, clutching his phone with white knuckles, wrapped snugly in a blanket. He has his knees drawn up to his chest and his head is shrunk down into himself. The lamp directly beside him is on a low setting, and John can see from the small amount of light that his cheeks are wet. 

The younger man drops his keys in the dish as he toes off his shoes and then walks over to where Alexander is sitting. He manages to get Alex's phone free from his hand and clicks the lock button, laying it on the table in front of the couch. Then, he pulls a malleable Alex into his lap, opening the blanket so that it surrounds both of them. The smaller man tucks his head under John's chin, his face hidden in his neck.

John can tell by the instant slowing of Alex's racing heart that his physical comfort is exactly what Alex needed. He plants a light kiss on the top of inky black hair, rubbing his hand up and down a trembling back. "Hey, baby. It's okay," John starts, "I've got you, nothing can hurt you here."

He hears Alex sniffle into his neck, his wet eyelashes fluttering open against the soft skin. They sit in silence for a few minutes, the only sound being Alex's labored breathing and John's soft hums. 

"Thank you for coming home," John hears, and it's accompanied by Alex snuggling further down into his chest. "I'm sorry I made you leave work."

The thunder is still sounding outside, the skies still emptying against their apartment windows. "No, baby, don't apologize. I'll always come when you need me. Don't doubt that for a second."

"I'm still sorry, I know you probably had work to do, I'm sorry I'm ridiculous. I shouldn't be afraid of storms, it's so stupid." Alex rambles on, pulling away from John's chest. 

A strong arm wraps around his smaller frame, John's hand cradling the side of his face pulling his chin up so that their eyes meet. 

"Alexander, _stop_." His tone was firm, but his eyes were full of compassion. "I love you more than anything in this world. Nothing is more important to me than you and your health. I want you to take me seriously when I tell you that I will drop everything for you instantly. You're not ridiculous, and your fears are valid. Storms hold traumatic memories for you, it's okay that you feel scared. It's okay, and I'm here for you, always."

At this point, Alex was crying again. The thunder had all but stopped, however, the rain still pouring down outside. 

"I don't know what I ever did to deserve you," he mutters, sniffling quietly into John's chest. "Thank you, John, I love you so much."

John smiles, wrapping his arms tightly around his husband. "I love you too, baby girl. Do you feel better now? Do you want to watch a movie or something?"

Alex nods slightly, turning around in John's arms. He's now seated between John's thighs, his back against a warm, lean chest. "We'll get up in a minute," Alex says, the end cut off by a yawn.

John moves so that they're both more comfortable, stroking his fingers through Alex's hair. The latter's head thumps back against John's shoulder, a light snore escaping his mouth. John smiles and shakes his head, leaning his head back onto the couch. Despite it being only 4:30, he also settled in for a nap. 

\---

Alex stirred around 7:30 that night, thunder rumbling in his stomach. He remembered that he hadn't eaten since their shared waffle breakfast that morning, and he decided he needed to wake John, who was still snoring lightly. 

Alex smirked to himself, turning in John's lap to kiss along his jaw. He'd just reached his ear lobe when John opens his eyes, a smile pulling at the edge of his lips. "Can I help you?"

Alex leans to whisper in John's ear, his left hand reaching up to trace John's cheek bone. "I'm hungry, and you were snoring," he giggled at the end of his statement, immediately jumping out of Alex's lap. "Let's go get food!" 

John sighs, groaning as he gets off the couch. "Okay, okay. I'm up. Let's go."

The hold hands as they leave their apartment, walking down the stairs and towards the pizza place down at the corner, the smell of the rain not bothering Alex in the slightest.

**Author's Note:**

> John just really loves Alex alright. 
> 
> I'm sorry the end is a bit rushed, I was just really excited to post this!! Hope you guys like it, comments and kudos are always appreciated!!


End file.
